Ward Delineation: Itsekiri Nation Demands Probe Of INEC Officials

THE Itsekiri nation has called on the Federal Government to investigate and pros­ecute Officials of the In­dependent National Elec­toral Commission (INEC), allegedly found culpable in the controversial ward and unit delineation exer­cise, purportedly carried out in Warri Federal Con­stituency. They described the report released after­wards by the Commission as fraudulent.

The position of the It­sekiri Nation was laid bare during an expanded media briefing held in Warri, Delta State, on Monday, September 1.

A Chief of Warri King­dom, Brown Mene, who addre s s ed newsme n shortly before two mem­bers of Warri Reclamation Thrust, Bright Omaghomi and Tsaye Mene, made a graphic illustration of the controversial outcome of INEC’s report, stating that the action of officials of the Commission, who were al­legedly compromised, was causing great embarrass­ment to INEC.

He, therefore, called on the Federal Government to set up an independent Commission of Inquiry to probe the actions of INEC on the re-delineation exer­cise that “created phantom polling units and wards in the Warri Federal Con­stituency.

While stating that the Itsekiri nation is not op­posed to the execution of the Supreme Court Order on the re-delineation of the Warri Federal Constitu­ency, Chief Mene averred that the technical sec­tions, which dissect the coordinates of the polling units and wards created by INEC, do not correspond with the actual locations on the ground.

The Itsekiri Nation, therefore, is demanding the immediate implemen­tation of all judicial deci­sions in the Warri Federal Constituency, including the Court of Appeal judgment on the 10 Ward structure in Warri South Local Gov­ernment Area, “for which there is no appeal.”

Secretary of the Itsekiri Leaders of Thought, Sir. Sunny Mene, who also spoke during the media parley, explained: “Con­trary to the claim of George Timinimi and others in the suit, and that of the Ijaw and Urhobo of Warri Federal Constituency, the Supreme Court did not at any time in the judgment declare or hold that the wards and polling units of the Warri Federal Con­stituency are fake and fic­titious. It did not hold that the INEC voters’ register is fake and fictitious.

“Outside the Consti­tution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), the only legal instrument to guide INEC in their enforcement of the Supreme Court judgment is the provisions of sec­tion 40(2) of the Electoral Act 2022, which provides clarity on what INEC is expected to do using the electoral register of vot­ers,” he said.

According to Sir Mene, section 40(2) of the Elec­toral Act 2022 mandates INEC to establish an ad­equate number of polling units in each registration area or electoral ward and shall allot voters to such polling units.

The Itsekiri leader stat­ed that the law does not permit INEC to create, recognise or alter commu­nities, Local Government Areas or conduct a popula­tion census, saying only a court of law can determine which ethnic group(s) own places.